How life has changed in Basingstoke and Deane

Basingstoke and Deane's population increased by about 15,200 between the last two censuses. This semi-automated article highlights some of the key changes among the local population.

The population reached nearly 170,000

In the decade to 2011, the population of Basingstoke and Deane increased by 10.0%, from just under 153,000 to 168,000.

The addition of about 15,000 people means this area's population increased faster than the rate of growth across England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Basingstoke and Deane was home to, on average, 1.9 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was lower than the average across the South East

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the South East, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Basingstoke and Deane

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Basingstoke and Deane increased by two years, from 37 to 39 years.

This area had a slightly lower average age than the South East and had a similar age to the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of just under 5,300 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by about 2,000.

About 11.0% of people in Basingstoke and Deane are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Basingstoke and Deane by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Changes in family structure

Basingstoke and Deane saw England's third-largest fall in the proportion of households with adult children living with their parents.

In 2011, just under 1 in 11 (8.8%) households in Basingstoke and Deane had only adult children living with their parents, compared with 9.8% in 2001. The percentage with at least one child decreased from 31.6% to 31.3%.

England's largest decrease in the proportion of households with adult children living with their parents occurred in Hinckley and Bosworth (from 11.0% to 9.7%) followed by Wyre Forest (from 11.4% to 10.3%).

The proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents was lower than across the South East

Percentage of households where a parent lived with their adult children across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Religion in Basingstoke and Deane

The 2011 Census asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, the largest percentage point increase in Basingstoke and Deane was among those who said they had no religion, rising 13.7 points.

In 2011, 32.0% of respondents in Basingstoke and Deane gave this answer to the question on religion, compared with 18.3% of those who answered in 2001.

Across the South East, the percentage of people who answered the question on religion and described themselves as having no religion increased from 17.9% to 30.1%, while across England the percentage went from 15.7% to 26.5%.

Of those who disclosed their religion in Basingstoke and Deane, 64.5% said they were Christian, compared with 79.8% in 2001. About 1.3% said they were Hindu, compared with 0.5% a decade prior.

In Basingstoke and Deane, 7.2% chose not to answer the question on religious affiliation, the same percentage as in 2001. Across the South East, 7.4% did not answer the voluntary question, compared with 7.7% in 2001.

There are many factors that can cause changes to the religious profile of an area, such as differing patterns of ageing or of moving to or from an area for work or education. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals choose to self-identify between censuses.

The population that said they had no religion in Basingstoke and Deane increased by 14 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents who answered the voluntary question on religion in England, South East and Basingstoke and Deane by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Basingstoke and Deane

The percentage of Basingstoke and Deane residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 6.2% to 6.3% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just over 1 in 40 (2.8%) reported being limited a lot in their day-to-day activities, compared with 2.1% in 2001. The percentage of Basingstoke and Deane residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 91.7% to 90.9%.

The proportion of people who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 6.8% in 2001 to 6.7% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 6.8% to 6.5%.

The proportion of people who are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across the South East

Percentage of usual residents that reported being slightly limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of privately rented homes increased in Basingstoke and Deane, but at a slower rate than across England.

In Basingstoke and Deane, the proportion of private renting increased from 6.9% in 2001 to 11.8% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion across England increased from 9.9% to 16.9%.

Across the South East, the share of privately rented homes increased from 10.2% to 16.5%.

The rate of social housing in Basingstoke and Deane increased from 17.3% to 17.8%, while the rate of home ownership decreased from 73.1% to 67.7%.

Private renting in Basingstoke and Deane increased by 4.9 percentage points

Percentage of households in Basingstoke and Deane, the South East and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

The percentage of employed people in Basingstoke and Deane working more than 49 hours in the week before the census decreased from 13.8% to 10.8% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just over 1 in 40 (2.5%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 1.8% in 2001.

The proportion of people working long hours fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 14.3% in 2001 to 11.2% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 13.0% to 10.1%.

Long hour working in Basingstoke and Deane decreased by 3.1 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Basingstoke and Deane, the South East and England that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Basingstoke and Deane residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 6.0% to 3.5% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just under 9 in 10 (85.8%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 74.3% in 2001. The percentage of Basingstoke and Deane residents that described their health as fair decreased from 19.7% to 10.8%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 7.2% in 2001 to 4.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Basingstoke and Deane decreased by 2.5 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Basingstoke and Deane, the South East and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in Basingstoke and Deane

In 2011, 4.0% of Basingstoke and Deane residents said they were from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups, up from 1.6% in 2001. The 2.4 percentage point change was the largest increase among ethnic groups in this area.

Across the South East, the percentage of people from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from 2.6% to 5.0%, while across England the percentage went from 5.2% to 8.0%.

Around 92.9% of people in Basingstoke and Deane said they were from one of the White ethnic groups, compared with 96.6% in 2001. About 1.7% said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed), compared with 1.0% a decade prior.

The percentage of people who said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups increased from 0.6% to 1.1%.

There are many factors that can cause changes to the ethnic profile of an area, such as differing patterns of ageing or of moving to or from an area for work or education. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals choose to self-identify between censuses.

The population from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups in Basingstoke and Deane increased by 2.4 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Basingstoke and Deane by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

More single people in Basingstoke and Deane

The percentage of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership increased here, but at a slower rate than across England.

In Basingstoke and Deane, the proportion of single people increased from 27.2% in 2001 to 29.6% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion across England increased from 30.5% to 34.9%.

Across the South East, the share of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership increased from 28.5% to 32.1%.

The proportion of married people in Basingstoke and Deane fell from 55.4% to 52.7%, while the proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner increased from 10.8% to 11.8%.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership was lower than across the South East

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were single across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in rate of unemployment

The percentage of Basingstoke and Deane residents that were unemployed increased from 2.0% to 3.2% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just over 6 in 10 (61.3%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were employed, compared with 63.1% in 2001. The percentage of Basingstoke and Deane residents that were self-employed increased from 8.5% to 9.6%.

The proportion of unemployed people increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 2.3% in 2001 to 3.5% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.4% to 4.4%.

The rate of unemployment in Basingstoke and Deane increased by 1.3 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Basingstoke and Deane, the South East and England that said they were unemployed, March 2001 and March 2011

More people living alone

The percentage of households in Basingstoke and Deane, which comprised one person, increased from 25.4% to 26.4% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just under one in nine (10.7%) households had an unmarried couple, compared with 9.6% in 2001. The percentage of households in Basingstoke and Deane which comprised a married couple (with or without children) decreased from 43.5% to 39.5%.

The proportion of one-person households increased here at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (which remained close to 29.0%). Across England, the percentage remained close to 30.3%.

The percentage of households with only one person was lower than across the South East

Percentage of households that comprised only one person across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Change in unpaid care provision

The percentage of Basingstoke and Deane residents that provided at least 50 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 1.4% to 1.8% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

The percentage who reported providing between 20 and 49 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 0.7%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 1.7% in 2001 to 2.0% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 2.1% to 2.4%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care in Basingstoke and Deane remained close to 1.8%

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Basingstoke and Deane by care, March 2001 and March 2011

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